Vías de acceso al puesto y requisitos exigidos

Preparation for the operation regarding logistic support was directed toward one fundamental mission–the accumulation of reserves of all types of supplies at assembly points of units and ships participating in the operation and the uninterrupted resupply of the forces from these points during the operation. Prior to the operation’s start,

formations designated for participation in it were logistically supplied at the following locations:

• Units of Northern Defensive Region were supplied from rear area dumps on Rybachiy and Sredniy Peninsulas, because main bases (Eastern and Western Ozerko) and docks there were under good enemy observation, and the dock at Western Ozerko and the entrance to Motka Bay were subject to systematic enemy artillery fire.

• Ships of the seaward approaches security force were supplied through their own shore base at Kuvshinska and through their logistic section in

Polyarnoye.

• Surface Squadron ships were supplied through their logistic section in Vaenga.

• _{Torpedo cutters were supplied through the shore base in Dolgaya Bay and at} the forward base in Pummanki on Sredniy Peninsula, where a shore base section was set up.

• Aviation based on airfields at Vaenga, Gryaznaya, Ura-guba, and Pummanki were supplied through the organizations that maintained these airfields.

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Fleet logistic units took all possible measures in the preparatory period to stockpile all necessary reserves at Northern Defensive Region supply dumps for complete satisfaction of all supply demands that might arise.

One month’s supply of various types of goods was unloaded for Northern Defensive Region from 5–13 September. This included 970 tons of food and forage, 211 tons of troop issue and ships stores, 667 tons of fuel, and 660 tons of ammunition. Along with this, measures were taken to accelerate the movement of supplies from central Soviet Navy supply dumps, and requests were submitted for an increase in ammunition drops for artillery and mortars, for aviation fuels B-70, B-78, and B-100, and automotive fuel.

Northern Defensive Region logistics command issued and delivered the following items to units preparing for the operation from 11 September to 10 October: 1,970 tons of ammunition, 426 tons of food and forage, 130 tons of troop issue and ships stores, and 497 tons of petroleum products.

In the 63rd Naval Infantry Brigade, designated for the amphibious landing, logistic units were relocated to the area of “North-2” dock (Pummanki), and the following supplies were stocked at brigade dumps: a six-day supply of provisions; three units of fire10 _{of ammunition; 37 tons of engineer, chemical, medical, and other supplies; and}

100 percent of the brigade’s requirement for winter-issue clothing.

In addition, a staging base of 21 men was formed in the brigade, the mission of which was to land with the amphibious assault on a cleared shore and organize a forward unit supply point capable of receipt and distribution of required materials and enemy property.

By the beginning of the operation, Northern Defensive Region units had been provided with the following: six units of fire of artillery ammunition, up to 13 days’ issue of food and forage, up to 14 days’ supply of fuel, and all the troop issue items requested.

By 1 October, the following quantities of ammunition were on the ground at coast and field artillery firing positions:

45mm gun 16,164 76mm gun 20,411 100mm gun 1,773 107mm gun 772 122mm gun 3,971 122mm howitzer 4,210 130mm gun 3,909 152mm gun 4,143 82mm mortar 22,870 107mm mortar 1,078 120mm mortar 5,555 total 84,856

10 _{In Russian, boyevoy komplekt (combat load), which in essence is a “basic load” for a weapon system}

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In addition, Northern Defensive Region had the following items in its rear area supply dumps on 10 October: 2–3 units of fire of artillery ammunition, 12 units of fire of small arms ammunition, seven days’ supply of rations and forage, 118 tons of fuel, and a complete issue of winter clothing items.

The following comprised the equipment items for the troops of the amphibious landing and breakthrough forces: a quilted padded jacket (for women) or double- breasted jacket (for men), quilted trousers, boots or overshoes, pile caps, foot bindings [worn by Soviet military personnel in lieu of socks], one pair of warm and two pairs of standard underwear (one in equipment bag), gloves or mittens, and a camouflage cape. On-hand tentage was prepared for troop warming sites, and where tentage was not available, warming sites were fabricated from waterproof capes.

A significant shortcoming in the preparation of fleet units was in the area of

transportation. They had only 26 percent of authorized wheeled transport, 66 percent of authorized pack animals, and 50 percent of tracked transport.

Logistic support to the Fleet Air Forces was accomplished by the creation of

necessary stocks of fuel, ordnance, food, and aircraft spare parts at operational airfields (Pummanki and Ura-guba). By the beginning of the operation, 00 tons of aviation gas and 750 tons of ammunition were on the airfield at Pummanki, and 181 tons of

ordnance, 427 tons of aviation gas, 36 tons of oil, and 50 tons of aircraft spare parts were delivered to the airfield at Ura-guba.

300 tons of B-70 aviation fuel, artillery ordnance, spare parts, and other items were issued for logistic support of vessels at Pummanki. The remaining classes of supply for vessels were to be issued from Northern Defensive Region supply depots. The location of Northern Defensive Region logistic facilities is shown in the schematic.

[Figure 9. Location and movement of NDR logistic facilities.]

Preparation for the medical evacuation and treatment aspects of the operation included the following actions:

• _{primary hospitals were emptied out as much as possible and patients moved} to the rear;

• an 86 percent increase in bed space in existing hospitals was created by consolidation of existing facilities, utilization of auxiliary rooms, setting up of bunk beds, and utilization of tents in Forward Field Hospital 2215; • field hospitals were prepared for reception of sick and wounded on Kildin

Island (100–120 beds), Set-Navolok (100–120 beds), 30th Air Brigade at Vaenga (78 beds), the Submarine Brigade in Polyarnoye (30 beds), in the former space of 72nd Naval Hospital and rest home in Tyuba-guba (up to 120 beds), in the rest home at Kildinstroye (up to 60 beds), and in the Naval Air Forces rest home at Gryaznaya Bay (80 beds), altogether an additional 670 spaces. This number of beds could be increased on demand in an extreme emergency by placing hospitals in the building of the former 72nd Naval

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Hospital in Vladimir port (300 beds), and at School No. 6 in Murmansk (1,000 beds).

In addition, bed space in treatment facilities of White Sea Flotilla was increased by 300 beds. The total amount of bed space, deployed and in reserve, is shown in the following table:

Name of Hospital deployed beds reserve beds

Forward Field Hospital 2215 500 on Rybachiy Peninsula

Naval Field Hospital in Polyarnoye 648 74th Naval Hospital in Murmansk 397 71st Naval Hospital in Gryaznaya Bay 150

Treatment facilities in Kildin, Set-Navolok, Vaenga, Gryaznaya,

Tyuva-guba, Polyarnoye, and Vladimir (first reserve) 970 Treatment facilities in White Sea Flotilla and school for

hospitals in Murmansk (second reserve) 1300 A special schedule and work plan for caring for sick and wounded were established in each hospital in the event of mass casualties.

For bolstering medical assistance in the combat zone, Northern Defensive Region medical service units, which administered Forward Field Hospital 2215 and a medical company in each naval infantry brigade, were reinforced by a special group of 27 personnel, who became the intermediate link between the medical companies and the forward field hospital. This group was in effect a mobile surgical detachment, designated to follow behind the naval infantry brigades.

The medical companies were responsible for evacuation of wounded from the battlefield to forward evacuation points. For the support of wounded evacuated by boat, an aid station was set up at dock “North-2” in Pummanki. Two hospital barges (PMB-87 and PMB-) were designated for the evacuation of Northern Defensive Region’s sick and wounded by sea. The passenger ship Sosnovets was designated for the evacuation of 14th Army’s [Karelian Front] sick and wounded from Titovka. Two vessels were designated for transport of wounded across Kola Bay (Cape Mishukov to Murmansk).

Evacuation of wounded to the rear was to be accomplished through 14th Army’s forward evacuation point (PEP-24), which had at its disposal the passenger terminal at Kabotazh Pier, Murmansk Port, which adjoined the rail line. The location of treatment facilities and evacuation points is shown on the sketch (figure 10).

[Figure 10. Sketch of the location of medical treatment facilities.]